Never Alone
by Jess.91
Summary: Piper and Leo have been best friends since they were three years old. But are they destined to be friends ... or more? PiperLeo.
1. My First Friend

Never Alone

Chapter 1 - My First Friend

**Summary: Piper and Leo have been best friends forever. But are they destined to be friends ... Or more. Piper/Leo obviously. **

**By the way, I don't know how American Schools work, so don't hold me to the age.**

_"Mum, I don't want to." Piper Halliwell clung tighter to her mother's hand. "I don't like it. It's big. And scary." Piper didn't know if it was the clown faces that creeped her out, of the enormous crowd in front of her. She didn't want to go to nursery school. She wanted to stay home with Phoebe and Paige and mum and grams. Prue had told her yesterday that school wasn't that scary, but Piper didn't believe that. Not when the big clowns pained on the walls were staring at her like that._

_"Piper, we talked about this. You're a big girl now, and big girls have to go to nursery school." Her mother replied._

_"Three isn't that big." Piper said, eyeing the people around her nervously. Everyone, even the kids, looked bigger than her._

_"Piper, you'll go in there and make loads of new friends, and I'll be back to pick you up before you know it." Patty said, edging forwards. She didn't want to let Piper go, her little girl in nursery already? But she knew she had to._

_"Mu-um." Piper whined, but had no choice but to move forward with Patty._

_And then, suddenly, an older woman was stood in front on her. "Hi, Piper! I'm Mrs. Green." Piper didn't speak, just moved closer to her mother. "Are you going to come with me and meet the other boys and girls? Come on, let go of your mother's hand." She gently pulled Piper's hand away from Patty's, much to the three-year-old's annoyance._

_"I want to go home." Piper wailed, her eyes filling with tears. Patty had looked almost like she would pick up the child and run, but Mrs. Green quickly intervened._

_"Say goodbye to mummy now. Say bye-bye."_

_"No!" Piper said loudly, but Mrs. Green didn't flinch._

_"Bye-bye mummy." She said to Patty, then pulled Piper away._

_And then, her mum had left, and Piper was stood with this stranger._

_It was a whole hour before Mrs. Green let her go off on her own, under the impression that Piper wouldn't be upset if she held her hand all day. But, finally, Piper sat on the floor in the reading area, trying to hide behind a huge teddy bear, flicking through a picture book, trying not to cry. She didn't like this, she didn't want to be here. A single tear rolled down her face. _

_"Hi." A voice said, and looking up, Piper saw a boy her own age stood smiling at her. "Why are you hiding?"_

_"I want to go home. I don't like it here. I want my mummy." Piper said sadly. _

_"It's not that bad." The boy said. "You get to play with fun toys, and make lots of mess without your mummy and daddy shouting at you."_

_"Really?" Piper said hopefully. She liked making mess, but Grams didn't like it._

_"Yeah, come on, over there, we can paint!" He took Piper's hand and pulled her to her feet. "My name's Leo." He said as he lead her over to the painting table._

_"I'm Piper." Piper smiled. Suddenly, she didn't feel shy anymore. She had a friend. She had Leo._

----

Piper Halliwell had changed a lot over the years. She was taller, her hair was longer, and she was no longer three years old, but fifteen.

But one thing that had never changed over the years was her best friend in the whole world.

"Ready?" Leo asked as she opened the front door.

"Yep. Let's go to school." She replied, unable to sound happy about their destination.

"It's not _that _bad." Leo said. "You just don't like the fact there's no toys or painting." He teased, making her smile.

"Yeah, cos I live to make mess." Piper replied sarcastically, which made him laugh. Piper had slowly stopped loving making a mess, and started loving cleaning instead. Personally, Leo blamed her grandmother, and was convinced he could bring Piper back to the "right" side.

The second the two of them walked through the front doors, Piper changed. She started talking quieter, and less. Leo sighed to himself, as always. He couldn't understand why Piper was so shy at school - with him and with her family she was fine, chatty and confident. But here, no one knew the real Piper, except him.

But he could put up with her little faults - she put up with his. After all, that's what best friends do.

**Well? Does anyone want me to continue?**


	2. Always There

Firstly, I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to review the first chapter, and;

Secondly, I'd like to appologise in advance for how bad this chapter is. But it is sort of an intro, and the next chapter will be better.

Anyway, here's the story ...

Chapter 2 - Always There

"So, how was your weekend?" Leo asked as they took their seats in the back of their formroom.

"It was nice." Piper replied. "The lake was beautiful as always, and the weather was great. What did you do?"

"Well since _somebody _couldn't make our usual saturday brunch and movie, I spent the day at home." He said pointedly.

"What, the fabulous Leo Wyatt all alone? Not hot date? No friends?" Piper joked.

"Nope." He said with mock sadness. "I have no friends."

"Hey Leo! Catch the game last night?"

"Yeah, no friends at all." Piper said, rolling her eyes as two of Leo's guy-friends sat in the seat in front of them and started to talk about whatever game had been on the night before. It was nice that he didn't ignore her - he included her in the conversation regularly, even though she didn't have a clue what they were talking about. It was nice too that he didn't make her sit on his own so he could sit with his friends.

In short, he was always there for her.

"OK class, settle down." Their form tutor said loudly, forcing conversations to end while she took the regester. "Ah - ah wait. I have an announcment to make. In three weeks time the school is holding a dance, to raise money for funds. I don't know how much tickets will cost, but they will be avalable from tomorrow."

Several people cheered and looked exited, but Piper just put her head down. A dance? She hated them. She couldn't dance, the food was always terrible and the punch made her want to throw up. Plus, the last dance they'd had, she'd ended up going with Leo. It was nice of him actually, to go with her rather than a date. She'd said she would stay at home, but he was determined to get her to go, and he'd won.

"Are you going to go?" He asked her quietly. She shrugged her shoulders.

"Like anyone's going to ask me." She muttered, making sure her hair was hiding most of her face.

"Pipe, come on." He pushed her hair away, behind her ears. "If you tried showing people the real you, they'd love you." She snorted, but didn't say anything else, until the bell had gone and they were sat in English class.

"Maybe if people didn't treat me like some kind of freak I wouldn't act like one." She said suddenly.

"What? No one treats you like a freak. People just assume you're shy or - uh, I ..."

"Or what?" She said instantly, looking at him carefully. "Or what?"

"Well ... ah ... I heard a few people say that you ... sort of ignore them when they try to talk to you -"

"Leo, if people stood in front of you asking why your only friend was a guy, you'd ignore them too." Piper snapped. She'd never asked to by shy. She couldn't help it.

"I'm not your only friend." He said quickly. He didn't look angry or upset, but Piper instantly felt guilty. She and Leo never argued, they never had. And she didn't plan on starting now.

"OK, I know. I'm sorry." Piper sighed.

"It's OK. Actually, I wanted to ask you something. How come I don't have a girlfriend?" Piper burst out laughing - then realised he wasn't joking.

"I'm serious! Joe and the guys all have girlfriends, or they had them, and I haven't for over a year -"

"Oh Leo, don't worry about it. Lots of girls like you, I guess they're just too shy to ask you out." Piper replied truthfully.

"How do you know?"

"It's wrote on the girls bathroom wall. I love Leo Wyatt. Jackie loves Leo Wyatt. Holly loves -"

"Really?" He had a huge grin on his face now, and she found herself smiling back. She prefered Leo to smile.

"Yep. So ask a few girls to the dance."

"What if they say no?" He said. "I'll be the only guy without a date -"

"I'll go with you." Piper found herself saying. Well, anything for a friend, right?

He looked almost like he was going to laugh, but nodded instead. "OK, now, who should I ask?"

----

"Hey, Prue, don't bother waiting for me tonight." Piper siad, catching up with her older sister at lunch time in the canteen. "I'm off to Leo's -"

"Really? Is it like a date?" Prue said hopfully. She was adamant that Piper and Leo were made for each other, and that they were secretly in love.

"No. It's like a he-needs-help-with-science-homework kinda thing." Piper replied. "Leo and I are not going to start going out, Prue. We're best friends, that's all."

"That's what I said about Andy." Prue replied. "And look where we are now."

"This is different." Piper said, starting to walk away. "It's never going to happen!"

----

"OK, so a plant cell has a cell wall and an animal cell doesn't?" Leo asked, looking down at the text book infront of them.

"Right."

"So ... an animal cell has a cell membrane but the other one doesn't?"

"No, they both have one." Piper replied. "See? It's this thing here." She pointed to the membrane, and brushed his hand, surprised at the feeling it sent casading up her arm. She jumped back, and looked at him.

"What?"

"Uh ... You gave me an electric shock." She said. Yeah that must have been it. Just a shock ...

* * *

Oh, and it'll probably be a few more days until I update again. It's been really hot this past week or so, and I'm way too hot to sit inside on the computer. 

Until next time, Jess x


	3. Lean On Me

Thanks for all the feedback on this, love you all!

Chapter 3 - Lean on Me

Humming slightly, Piper finished brushing her hair and looked over her reflection in the mirror. She almost felt pretty. "Morning." She said breezily to Prue as her older sister walked back into the room they shared, fresh from the shower.

"Can't talk, I'm really, really late." Prue said quickly, grabbing her own hairbrush and trying to detangle her hair.

"I can see that." Piper replied, walking out of the room and starting down the stairs. "Hey, Grams," she said as she entered the kitchen, "do we have any cheerios left, or has Paige eaten them all?"

Wincing, her hand over her chest, Grams shook her head. "I - don't know." She wheezed. "Look in the -"

"Grams? Are you O -" Piper dived forward suddenly, catching Grams just before she collapsed. "Prue! Prue!" She screamed, sitting Grams in a chair. "Prue get down here, it's Grams!" She turned back to her grandmother, the woman who had raised her, who was now gasping for breath. "Grams, can you hear me? Grams?"

Prue ran into the room that minute, Phoebe and Paige right behind her. "What is -? Grams!" Prue darted forward, and knelt in front of her. "What's wrong? Grams? What happened?"

"She just - just - I don't know -" Piper stammered, glancing over at her younger sisters. Phoebe was pale and looked terrified, but Paige looked - scared, of course - and almost interested.

"She's having a heart attack." She said simply. "Call an ambulance."

"A - what - how do you know?" Prue asked.

"I saw it on T.V." Paige shrugged. "Shall I call the ambulance?"

"No, I'll do it." Prue pushed past them and walked into the hall.

"Grams, come on, breath." Piper whispered.

_"Girls, there's something I have to tell you." Grams said quietly, her voice shaking, her face tear-stained. "It's your mother."_

_"What? What is it?" Seven-year-old Piper asked, looking up quickly from the toy cars she was racing with Leo. Over in the corner, Prue was crying._

_"She ... she's ... Honey, remember how mummy explained me and her fight bad guys? With magic?" Piper nodded. She loved the stories her mother would tell her about fighting demons. "Well, mummy was trying to fight one ... but she ... she ... the demon was too strong." Piper froze, her insides turned to ice. _

_"Is she OK?" She asked, already knowing the answer. _

_"I'm sorry, she's ... gone. She's ... dead." Grams barely choked the last word out, but Piper couldn't hear properly anyway. There was a loud roaring in her ears, and her heart was beating so fast and hard it hurt. She was aware of Prue crying harder, and yelling "No!" over and over, aware of Phoebe crying as Grams gently explained her mummy wasn't coming home, and off little Paige, crying, even though he couldn't know what had happened, she was only one year old. _

_But it couldn't be real, none of it. Her mum couldn't be gone, any minute now she'd walk through the door, smiling and hug her daughters. She looked at Leo, who looked back at her in shock, then hugged her fiercely._

_"It'll be OK, Piper, I'm here for you."_

_It was real. Mummy was ... gone._

"Grams, come on, we can't lose you too!" Piper cried, as a knock sounded at the door. It was Leo, she knew, but she couldn't leave Grams alone, even though all she wanted to do was hide in his arms and have him tell her it would all be OK.

Grams slumped forward, as Prue walked back into the room, followed by Leo. Piper barely registered it.

"Grams! Grams! Don't leave us, please!" She was sobbing heavily, sure her grandmother was dying. And then, he was pulling her back, turning her to face him and hugging her, stroking her hair.

"Shh. I'm here for you." He whispered. But he didn't tell her it would be OK - they had both long ago lost their childish optimism, and realised that anything could happen.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there, being comforted by her best friend in the whole world, but after what felt like an eternity, paramedics bust into the kitchen and got to work.

"We think she's had a heart attack." One of them said to Prue. "We'll have to take her to the hospital -"

"Can we come?" Phoebe asked.

"Yes, but you can't all fit in the ambulance. There isn't enough room."

"Piper, you go in the ambulance with Grams. I'll follow behind with Phoebe and Paige in the car." Prue said quickly, as they started carrying Grams out of the room on a stretcher.

Piper nodded, then grabbed Leo's arm. "What about -"

"Take him with you." Prue nodded, then, to Phoebe and Paige, "Shoes, jackets, quickly!"

Piper ran after the paramedics, dragging Leo behind her.

"Sit there." One of them said. "Talk to her, OK?" Piper nodded.

"Grams ... Can you hear me? Come on Grams, you can beat this, you're so strong ..." She choked. Beside her, Leo squeezed her hand.

"Hey, Penny, it's me, Leo, remember?" He said, knowing Piper couldn't talk anymore. "You better hope I don't get in trouble for not going to school, huh? At least if I fail anything, I can say it was because of you, right?" He joked. Piper gave a small, desperate laugh. And he was off, talking to her grams about anything, joking and laughing for all the world as though Penny was able to hear him. Leaning heavily on his shoulder, Piper raised a smile every now and then, trying to force the images of her mother's funeral from her mind. She couldn't think about losing Grams ... She couldn't ...


	4. By My Side

By the way, I don't think I've put ages in yet, so here they are if anyone was wondering: Prue: 16, Piper: 15, Leo: 15, Phoebe: 11, Paige: 8.

Chapter 4 - By My Side

Piper was sat in one of the plastic blue chairs, her face still damp from crying even though her eyes were now dry. Paige and Phoebe were looking around the room, occasionally stopping to stare at someone they found extremely strange looking. Prue was pacing up and down in front of them, going to the front desk every fifteen minutes and asking for news. Leo was sat next to Piper, trying his hardest to keep their spirits up, talking and joking.

"What exactly is she so stressed about?" Prue burst out suddenly. "I mean, sure, raising us at her age can't be great, but we're not _that _bad, are we?"

"I don't know, Prue, you have you moments." Leo joked, earning himself a icy look. "Just kidding." He murmured. "Are you OK?" He asked Piper in an undertone.

If anyone else had asked her that question, she would have bit their head off - of course she wasn't OK, she may be about to lose her grams. But Piper just shook her head.

"What if - what if she doesn't make it?" She whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Of course she will. Your grams can't be beaten by something like this. She puts up with you lot, doesn't she?" He half-heartedly joked.

"But what if -"

"Shh. Don't think like that, OK? Sheesh, always the negative side with you, isn't it?" His jokes were strained, his smile forced, but his concern and sympathey genuine, and for that, Piper was greatful. She was aslo strangly glad of the constant hugs and hand-squeezes he was sending her way - for some reason, every time he touched her, her stomach jolted.

Nerves, of course.

Piper smiled at him, and caught sight of a doctor walk towards the reception desk and say something to the receptionist, who nodded and pointed in their direction. She jumped to her feet as he walked towards them, and opened her mouth - but Prue got their first.

"Is she OK?"

"Are you Penelope Halliwell's relatives?" He asked.

"Her grandaughters, yes." Prue said. "Is she OK?"

"She's stable, yes. She had a heart attack, but luckily it wasn't too serious, but we need to keep her in for observation."

"Can we see her?" Piper asked. The doctor glanced over the group before him.

"I'm not sure it would be wise for you all to -"

"You two go, I'll watch these two." Leo interrupted quickly.

"Very well, this way please." The doctor said, and Piper mouthed "thank you" to Leo as she followed Prue and the doctor. He really was a great friend. A great person, in fact. And if she hadn't grown up with him and seen him cry when his mother told him he couldn't dress up as Bugs Bunny for Hallowe'en when he was four, or witnessed him puke after too many easter eggs when he was eight, she might even think of him as a potential boyfriend -

_No, don't think like that. _Piper scolded herself quickly. _What is wrong with me?_

"Grams?" Prue asked as the two of them entered the room. The doctor left them alone, and the two girls sat on either side of the bed.

"Hi." Piper said nervously. "So, how's things with you?" Grams atempted a laugh, that came out weak and scratchy.

"Oh, Grams, we're so sorry." Prue said.

"F-for what?" Grams croaked.

"For everything we've put you through." Prue wailed. "For stressing you so much you - you -"

"Prue, don't blame yourself." Grams croaked. "It's nothing to do with you. It's one of those things. When you get old ..." Her voice trailed off.

"You're not that old." Piper said, to break the awkward silence. "Really ..."

* * *

"He was hit by the ugly stick a few times." Leo whispered to Phoebe and Paige, back in the waiting room. Both girls giggled loudly, and the receptionist sent them another look. At this rate, they'd be thrown out of the hospital.

Before anymore could be said, Prue and Piper appeared back in the waiting room, looking around for them. As he caught sight of Piper, Leo felt his stomach jump _again. _Why was it that ever time he looked at her, he felt nervous? The whole stomach-doing-backflips-and-heart-rate-through-the-roof thing was seriously weird when it was over your best friend in the whole world. If he didn't know any better, he might think -

"Hi." Piper siad, suddenly in front of him.

"Uh - Hi -" He mumbled, startled.

"Ready to go?" Prue asked, and as the younger two started complaining that they wanted to see Grams, Leo just stared at Piper. She _was _really pretty. And funny. And smart. And -

"Come on." She said. "Wakey-wakey." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet, and he felt his whole arm tingling. She paused for a split second - had she felt it too? - but the next moment, she started to walk.


	5. Pushed Away

By the way guys, I have a few banners for some of my stories. The links are on my profile if you wanna check them out ...

**Chapter 5 - Pushed away**

Piper watched as the rain pounded her window, harder and harder. Curled up on the the sill, she had a view of half the neightbour hood, and although she couldn't see it in the darkness, she knew exactly where Leo's house was.

Prue had dropped him off at his house on the way home, and Piper had been thinking about him ever since. Something had changed between them, that she knew, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what had happened.

"Pipe? Are you OK?" Prue asked from the doorway. Piper didn't turn around, she just nodded at her reflection in the window.

"Do you - do you want something to eat?"

"No. Do you need to me to make something?" She half-joked.

"No, we're OK." Prue replied softly. "I ... Night."

"Night." Piper murmured, and she heard Prue pull the door shut behind her. Still staring in the direction of Loe's house, she sighed heavily. Why couldn't life be like it was when she was three, when her biggest concern was what to paint for mummy ...

A few streets away, Leo was sat on his bed, leaning on the wall looking out of his rain-splattered window. It was late, but he could see a faint light in the distance. He wondered vaguely if Piper was still awake. Probably. She was likely to be worrying. Would it be too late to call her -

A muffled ringing sound interrupted his thoughts, and after several minutes of confusion her realised it was his mobile. He found it after a few minutes under a heap of clothes. The illuminated screen read "Piper" and he quickly pressed answer.

"Hello?"

"I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" She asked anxiously.

"No, no I was already awake. I was actually going to call you." He admitted. "Great minds think alike. What's up?"

"Nothing. I just ... wanted to talk for a bit. But yo can go back to sleep if you want."

"No, no, I told you, I wasn't even asleep. What do you want to talk about?"

"Anything. Anything at all. Just ... make me laugh or something."

A few minutes passed with the two them chatting aimlessly, and Piper began to wonder if she'd imagined this "change". Maybe, with all the emotions surrounding Grams' heart attack she'd just gotten confused.

"Are you coming round tomorrow?" She asked him after a while.

"Uh, yeah, if you want me too. Aren't you going to the hospital?"

"I ... I don't know if I can face it. I ... is she going to die, Leo?" She sounded so vunerable and defeated, he wished he was there with her, to hug her, hold her, comfort her.

"No." He whispered. "She wont. And I'll definetly be round there tomorrow."

----

He was as good as his word, Piper marvelled, opening the door at half-past seven the next morning. Even though the two of them had been talking until three a.m, he looked wide awake and alert - which is more than could be said of her.

"Hi." She said tiredly, and he looked at her for a moment, taking in her pale face and bloodshot, circled eyes. Then he pulled her into a hug, wishing he could just make it all go away, make her happy again.

"Oh, hey Leo." Phoebe's voice pulled them both from their thoughts, and they broke apart.

"Hi, Phoebe, how are you?"

Phoebe looked at him, as though he'd asked a very stupid question. Then, after a while, she shrugged. "We're going to the hospital soon." She told him. "Except Piper." She looked at Piper almost accusingly.

"I don't like hospitals." Piper told her younger sister. "They -"

"Remind you of death." Leo finished.

"Right." Piper nodded, and Phoebe rolled her eyes.

"Do you guys have to do that?"

"Do what?"

"Finish each others sentances like that. It's really annoying." Phoebe replied.

Piper glanced at Leo. Now that she thought about it, they did do that a lot. But that was what best friends did, right? Finish each others sentances, say and think the same thing at the same time, get upset when the other was ...

"Sorry, Phoebe." Leo smiled, a note of sarcasim in his voice.

"Yeah, sor-ry sis." Piper mimicked, causing Phoebe to mutter something under her breath and walk away.

"So, you want some breakfast? Or have you already ate?" Piper asked.

"Yes, and yes." Leo replied. "What you got?"

"Food." Piper smiled, and walked into the kitchen, Leo right behind her.

Almost an hour later the lot of them were gathered in the hallway, Phoebe and Paige putting on shoes and jackets, while Prue tapped her foot impatiently, all ready to go.

"Are you sure you're not coming?" Prue asked again.

"I really can't." Piper said weakly. "You know I can't." Prue nodded.

"OK. I'll call you at some point. If you change your mind -"

"It's only a bus ride away." Piper recited. "OK, I get it."

"Ready!" Paige announced, jumping to her feet. "Can we go now?"

"OK, comne on Pheebs ... See you two later." Prue said, giving Piper a breif hug before herding the younger two out of the door.

"Bye." Piper and Leo said in unison, making Phoebe send another eye-roll in their direction.

Walking into the living room, Piper switched ont he T.V set and flopped out of the sofa. Leo sat next to her, and brushed her hair away.

"How are you?" He asked quietly.

"Better." Piper nodded. "You're right, Grams will be fine. The doctor said yesterday they're happy with her condition. Well, you know, not totally happy, since she's there in the first place, but -"

"Rambling." Leo interrupted. Piper smiled at him, then looked back at the T.V, slightly horrifed, but not trying to show it.

She couldn't, could she? It was so _wrong_, so unblievable unthinkable. This was _Leo_.

_Oh my god I have a crush on Leo!_

She had done for a while, she realised. But the way he'd been with the whole Grams-thing had made her realise it ... Suddenly, she didn't just see him as her best friend in the whole wide world ... Maybe, one day, he could be her boyfriend?

She looked over at him, laughing at the Friends episode that she was pretending to watch. Did he like her? No, probably not. _Why would he_?

But he wouldn't laugh if she asked him.

"Leo?" She said quietly. He looked down at her.

"What's wrong?" He said, looking at her full of concern.

"I ..." She wasn't really sure what to say, didn't even know what to think ...

"Hey, come on, Grams will be fine." He said softly, pulling her towards him. She put her head against his chest, listening to his heart beating. And then, she raised her head slightly, and pressed her mouth onto his.

He drew back after less than a second, leaving her stung. He didn't even get caught up in the moment ...

This wasn't how things were on T.V.

"Piper ..." He said softly, and she felt heat rise in her face.

"Sorry." She muttered.

"I don't want to -"

She jumped up, embarrassed and, suddenly angry.

"I said I was sorry!" She snapped. What had she been thinking?

"Piper, I just don't -"

"I get it, Leo! You are totally replused by me, and you don't want me anywhere near you!"

She couldn't be there, not near him, not in the same room ...

She ran for the door, ignored him as he called out her name and slammed the door behind her. Her feet pounded against the pavement, and she started to cry. Maybe Grams' heart attack had left her emotions raw. Maybe she liked Leo more than she thought.

Or maybe she was just so hurt at being pushed away by the one person she'd always counted on.


	6. Reasons

Sorry its been a few days for some reason I couldn't upload any documents. Even today I had to put this chapter on Notepad to load it on ... Just some pointless info for you there ... On with the story ... 

Chapter 6 - Reasons 

He watched her run down the steps and into the street, and silently cursed himself for what he'd done. He hadn't explained himself properly, and now ...

Piper probably hated him.

Why was she so upset? He thought, slightly angry. So he'd pushed her away - but she didn't give him the chance to explain! What exactly had he said?

_I don't want to -_

Now he thought about it, it can't have sounded great - but if she'd have let him finish, she'd have understood. It was raining. Piper hated the rain. And she was out there all alone in it ...

He pulled the door shut behind him, knowing it wasn't really a good idea to leave it unlocked, but this was more important. So the house got burgled - at least Piper would have a reason to be upset then.

He knew where she'd go, so he took the short cut, running as fast as he could.

* * *

Piper sat heavily on the swing in the old children's park, as the rain started to fall heavier. She hated the rain, so, so much - It had started raining just before she found out her mother was dead, and it was raining the day her dad had left - rain was linked to bad things, as far as Piper was concerned. But today, she had to be outside. The rain almost felt good as it hit her with such a force she felt like it was cutting into her ...

This place, the park, only had a swing set., slide and roundabout, and a few years ago a newer, bigger park had been built a few streets away, with more, bigger and better equipment, and a basketball court, meaning most people went there.

Except her and Leo. It was the place her mother used to bring them, and it held a lot of memories for her. Plus, they were pretty much always alone.

"Piper?" He asked softly. She didn't look up - her eyes were so clouded with tears she wouldn't have been able to see him anyway. But she heard him walk closer, and sit next to her.

"I'm sorry." He muttered. She didn't reply, felt her voice would betray her. She tried to stop crying, all too aware he could see her tears dripping onto the floor, but she couldn't.

"Piper, listen -" He started, but she decided she didn't want to here it. He'd just give her some speech about wanting to stay friends and not risk what they already had - the same speech they'd listened in on Prue giving Andy almost three years ago, a few months before she finally relented and went out with him. She stood up and walked away, not knowing where to go now. Anywhere. Away from this, away from her life ...

"Piper!" He yelled, sounding decidedly angry. She wasn't expecting him to grab her arm and spin her around to face him, but he did. She stumbled, and he steadied her.

"Let me explain." He said impatiently. "Instead of just walking away from me!"

"Fine! Go on, lets hear it!" She snapped.

"I just ... didn't want you to get hurt." He said, knowing how lame it sounded.

"Gee, thanks Leo, great job." She said sarcastically.

"No - I - I mean ... Piper, you've got a lot going on right now, you're emotional and vulnerable. I didn't want to ... take advantage. I didn't want anything to happen that you - you might regret - what's so funny?" He said in annoyance, for Piper had started to laugh.

"Nothing, nothing." She smiled.

"You can't just stand their laughing at me and not say why." He stated. Does this mean she's not mad at me anymore?

"It's just ... you're always the good guy, aren't you? Always looking out for everyone else ... here I was, thinking you were some ... and all the time ... thanks."

He looked at her for a few seconds. "That didn't make a lot of sense." He said finally, not knowing what else to say.

"I know. But you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do." He murmured. If only she liked him for real ...

"It has nothing to do with Grams." She said to him. "Really. I felt like this for a while, I just didn't really know it ..."

He looked at her for a long time, considering what she'd said.

"Well, I'll see you later." She said awkwardly, embarrassed about what she'd just said. If only she could start the day again ... "Bye." She added, turning away and stepping off of the curb onto the road.

"Piper, wait -" Leo called suddenly, his mind made up.

Stupidly, she stopped in the middle of the road, and turned around to smile at him - then BANG.

Something solid collided painfully with her left hip, she felt a brief, sharp pain all down her left side, and by the time she'd hit the floor, all was black.

"Piper!" Leo yelled, running out onto the road as the driver of the car that had hit her jumped out.

"Oh, my god I didn't see her!" The man said, looking terrified. "Is she -?"

"Call an ambulance!" Leo yelled, kneeling next to her. "Piper, can you hear me?" She was still breathing, he noted fearfully, however shallow those breaths were. Her pulse, thankfully, was strong under his fingertips. "Come on, Piper." He whispered, wiping away some of the blood pouring from a huge cut on the side of her head. "Come on ..."

* * *

Not my greatest chapter, sorry, but you get the point. So, click that little button and tell me what you think ... 


	7. Losing A Day and Gaining Something Else

Chapter 7 - Losing a Day and Gaining Something Else...

Piper groaned softly as she tried to move her head. Every inch of her body was aching, she felt like she had broken all of her bones. She started to open her eyes, but forced them back down - some one seemed to be shining a bright light directly into her eyes.

"Piper ... can you hear me ... Piper ..." She wasn't sure who was talking to her, but she tried to nod anyway.

"Open your eyes ... come on ..." She tried again, and even though someone was still shining that damn light at her she forced her eyelids completely open.

To her surprise, no one was actually shining a light into her eyes - although the white walls and several long lights along the ceiling gave that effect. Looking around at the figures crowding her bed, Piper saw a doctor, grams - what was she doing here? - Prue, Phoebe, Paige and ... Leo.

"Do you remember what happened, Piper?" The doctor asked her. Piper shook her head - instantly causing her neck pain to increase.

"You were in a car accident." Grams stated. "You've been - you've been in a coma for almost a month." She added tearfully. And suddenly, Piper recalled a sudden flash of remembrance - someone yelling, she turned around, lots of pain, then darkness.

"Do you remember?" Leo asked her. Piper nodded.

"A - a bit." She said, looking around at them all.

The doctor started talking about her injures, which were all healing nicely she noted, as Piper tried to remember what had happened. She remembered Grams being in hospital ... and her sisters had gone to see her ... had she stayed at home?

She tried to listen to what her family and the doctor was saying to her, but she was too busy trying to remember what happened. She remembered rain ... But why was she out in the rain? She never went out in the rain if she could help it ...

She knew only one person could answer her questions - Leo. And she also knew that since she couldn't think straight right now, and her family were in the room, now was not the time.

So instead she listened to what had happened over the last few weeks, and what had been going on with _her. _It took way too much energy to do so, however, and when she fell asleep, her visitors decided to leave.

It was four hours later that Piper fully woke up, the groggy feeling gone. To her dismay, however, she still couldn't remember what had happened on the day she was hit by that car. She felt uneasy, as if it was something she needed to know, as if something important had happened ...

Her eyes drifted over to the window, and she saw the rain pounding heavily onto it ..._ just like that day_. She shivered, and suddenly knew she had to get out there, had to go out in the rain, and when a nurse came to check on her, she asked if she could go for a walk outside.

"In the rain?" The nurse said disapprovingly. "Do you really think that's a good idea?"

"I ... I feel like I have to." Piper muttered, expecting the nurse to refuse and force her to lay back down. To her surprise, however, the woman's face softened.

"OK, but only for a little while, OK? If you go to the end of the corridor and through the glass door, there's a small, enclosed garden. You'll be able to stand under the shelter."

"Right." Piper practically ran down the corridor, in case the nurse - Carol, her name was - changed her mind. She took at deep breath before stepping out. She was under a wide shelter, still dry, however cold. She knew Carol wanted her to stay here, but she had to step into the rain ...

It really was a beautiful garden, she thought. She walked forward, towards a fountain in the middle of the garden, water gentle cascading down it, mixing in with the rain. She wasn't sure how long she was stood there for, but suddenly, Leo's voice drifted across to her -

"Piper!" And suddenly, she remembered ...

_How could she be so stupid? To think he'd ever even think about liking her? She probably disgusted him so much ..._

_She was so upset, so betrayed, so rejected ..._

_"Piper?" He asked softly. She didn't look up - her eyes were so clouded with tears she wouldn't have been able to see him anyway. But she heard him walk closer, and sit next to her. "I'm sorry." He muttered. She didn't reply, felt her voice would betray her. She tried to stop crying, all too aware he could see her tears dripping onto the floor, but she couldn't._

_"Piper, listen -" He started, but she decided she didn't want to here it. He'd just give her some speech about wanting to stay friends and not risk what they already had - the same speech they'd listened in on Prue giving Andy almost three years ago, a few months before she finally relented and went out with him. She stood up and walked away, not knowing where to go now. Anywhere. Away from this, away from her life ..._

_"Piper!" He yelled, sounding decidedly angry. She wasn't expecting him to grab her arm and spin her around to face him, but he did. She stumbled, and he steadied her._

_"Let me explain." He said impatiently. "Instead of just walking away from me!"_

_"Fine! Go on, lets hear it!" She snapped._

_"I just ... didn't want you to get hurt." He said._

_"Gee, thanks Leo, great job." She said sarcastically._

_"No - I - I mean ... Piper, you've got a lot going on right now, you're emotional and vulnerable. I didn't want to ... take advantage. I didn't want anything to happen that you - you might regret - what's so funny?" He said in annoyance, for Piper had started to laugh._

_"Nothing, nothing." She smiled._

_"You can't just stand their laughing at me and not say why." He stated. _

_"It's just ... you're always the good guy, aren't you? Always looking out for everyone else ... here I was, thinking you were some ... and all the time ... thanks."_

_He looked at her for a few seconds. "That didn't make a lot of sense." He said finally, not knowing what else to say._

_"I know. But you know what I mean."_

_"Yeah, I do." He murmured._

_"It has nothing to do with Grams." She said to him. "Really. I felt like this for a while, I just didn't really know it ..."_

_He looked at her for a long time, considering what she'd said._

_"Well, I'll see you later." She said awkwardly, embarrassed about what she'd just said. If only she could start the day again ... "Bye." She added, turning away and stepping off of the curb onto the road._

_"Piper, wait -" Leo called suddenly, his mind made up._

_Stupidly, she stopped in the middle of the road, and turned around to smile at him - then BANG._

"Piper?" He was gripping her arms, looking into her eyes, his face white and scared. "What - are you OK? Do you want me to -"

"I ... I know what happened." She whispered. "I remember."

He froze, still looking into her eyes. "R-remember what?"

"What were you going to say to me? When you shouted me?" She asked him. She knew what she'd thought at the time ...

"I ... I don't know." He lied.

"Liar." She murmured, aware of how close they were. She could see every drop of rain on his face ...

"I ... Just wanted to talk ..." He said quietly.

"What about?" She asked him, her voice as quiet as his.

"Us. Me and you." He said, his voice barely audible. "I think I love you."

And suddenly, it all made sense to both of them - they were perfect for each other, they loved each other. They were destined to spend the rest of their lives together ...

Their lips met in a sweet, perfect kiss, that said more than words ever could, that sealed their future, that changed their relationship forever ...


	8. Friends Forever and So Much More

OK, this is the last chapter. The story's turned out way shorter than I planned, but I think it's run it's course ...

Chapter 8 - Friends Forever and So Much More

Piper pulled back, her face mingled with shock and delight. She couldn't believe it, she couldn't believe what was happening.

"I ... I'm not dreaming, right?" She mumbled, and Leo grinned at her, looking bemused himself.

"I don't think so. Here." He pinched her arm hard, which not only assured her she was very much awake, but also that they were still the best of friends. She hit him playfully over the head in retaliation.

"Ow!"

"Yep, you're awake too." She said brightly.

"Gee, thanks." He muttered, rubbing his head.

"You're welcome." She said lightly. She glanced around them - the rain was coming down harder than ever, and if she wasn't so numbed by the cold, and the kiss, then she'd probably be hurt by the sharp drops. She found that far from wanting to run inside, as was her usual reaction to rain, she wanted to stay out here forever, with Leo, away from the rest of the world and it's problems.

"Aren't you cold?" He asked her, touching her face with his own icy fingers.

"No. I'm just great." She smiled. Who knows? Maybe the rain isn't so bad after all?

"What?" He asked her. "What are you thinking?"

"Just that ... the rain isn't so bad." She said.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Let's stay here forever, Leo." She whispered. Maybe the pain killers she had taken were making her crazy. Or maybe she was crazy on Leo, high on his love?

"Here? Forever? In a hospital?" He said, raising his left eyebrow.

"We're not really in a hospital." She stated. "We're ... Free." She barely spoke the last word, and while he was still figuring out what she'd said, she'd broke away from him, and was almost spinning across the grass.

"What are you doing?" He laughed.

"I'm free." She murmured, spinning faster and faster and faster, until she lost her balance, fell backwards through the air. She braced herself for the pain that would come when she hit the ground - but it never came.

Instead, she fall into Leo's arms, looking up into his face.

"Are you OK?" He asked her, slowly raising her back to his feet. She knew he was dying to laugh, but he somehow managed to keep his face straight.

"Do you think they've but me on too many drugs?" She joked softly.

"I think they might have done." He replied.

"Ah well." She murmured. "I'll enjoy it while I can."

And he kissed her again, more heated and desperate than before, but just as amazing. Just as loving.  
_  
Score 2 for Good Things in the Rain._

"Piper!" A voice shrieked, bringing the two of them out of the embrace. Carol, her nurse, looking like an angry dragon, was striding towards them. "Look at you! You're soaking! You said you wanted to go outside, not drown in the rain! And you!" She said, looking at Leo. "Can't you see how wet she is!" Both teens cringed and followed Carol back inside, trying to ignore the interested looks of the other patients as they dripped all over the floor.

* * *

It was a whole hour before Carol left them alone again, Piper in clean, dry clothes, Leo's still wet. Carol seemed to hold him personally responsible for Piper being out in the rain, and had been shooting him looks that clearly told him so. 

Once the two of them had stopped laughing, Leo took her hand and looked at her seriously.

"Me and you." He said. "We - I want us to really make a go at this."

"Me too." She said, looking at their hands, fitted together perfectly.

"But -" He continued, causing her to look up in horror.

"But? There's a but?" She blurted.

"Shh, it's a good one." He joked. "I was just going to say that before we start anything, anything at all, I want you to promise that well always be friends, no matter what happens."

"I promise." She smiled. "Friends forever. And so much more."

----

"Why are people staring?" Piper muttered nervously, almost a month later. Out of hospital and fully healed, today was Piper first day back at (dun dun dun) school. She'd just walked through the front door, Leo - who knew how worried she had been - clutching her hand for support, her sisters and Andy right behind her. And the second they'd stepped inside the building, everyone had turned to look.

"You've been gone a whole month." Leo hissed in her ear. "And everyone heard about the accident, and they're happy you're OK -"

"Yeah, like anyone cares." Piper muttered. It was more likely they were staring at her because of Leo.

But strangely, she didn't care. So what if they were staring at her - over the last few days, she'd realised how many friends she did actually have, more than she dared admit to herself, plus she had Leo. It didn't matter if people didn't like her, or thought she was weird, or though she was a geek. She was who she was, and she wasn't going to change, so it didn't matter how many funny looks she got.

Leo smiled faintly as he watched her walking by his side. She had her head held high, she looked happy, confident, and beautiful. He knew they'd be together forever, soul mates, best friends, two halves of a whole.

_Friends forever and so much more._

**So there it is and I hope you're all happy with it. There might be a sequel someday, but there might not. And thanks for all the feedback on this, it made me very happy!**


	9. AN: Sequel

Hiya guys! OK I finally have a sequel up for this story. Don't know if any body will be interested in reading it, but we'll see. I had the idea while ago, and started writing it, but I got into my other story ...

Any way, it's up, and it's called Never Apart. So ... check it out ...


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